English MCQs – Page 29 (Q281-290)

The correct answer is 'on' because 'congratulate' pairs with the preposition 'on' to introduce the specific achievement or good news being celebrated, as in 'congratulate him on his promotion' or 'congratulate her on the new baby'. This collocation is frequently grouped with similarly structured celebratory verbs such as 'compliment on' and 'praise for', where the choice between 'on' and 'for' depends on the specific verb rather than a universal rule. Memorizing 'congratulate on' as a fixed pairing avoids the common error of substituting 'for' by analogy.

The correct answer is 'with' because 'sympathize' pairs with the preposition 'with' to introduce the person toward whom sympathy or shared feeling is directed, as in 'sympathize with the victims' or 'sympathize with her loss'. This collocation reflects the underlying meaning of the word, feeling together with someone, which naturally aligns with 'with' rather than 'for' or 'of'. The related noun 'sympathy' also typically takes 'for' when introducing the person, illustrating a shift in preposition between the verb and noun forms of the same root.

The correct answer is 'to' because 'object', when used as a verb meaning to protest or disagree, pairs with the fixed preposition 'to', typically followed by a gerund or noun, as in 'object to the proposal' or 'object to being treated unfairly'. This differs entirely from 'object' as a noun, which takes no fixed preposition in the same sense. Confusing 'object to' with 'object at' or 'object for' is a common error, and remembering that 'to' here functions as a preposition requiring a gerund, not an infinitive, is an added nuance.

The correct answer is 'from' because 'abstain' pairs with the fixed preposition 'from', typically followed by a gerund, to introduce what someone deliberately refrains from doing, as in 'abstain from voting' or 'abstain from alcohol'. This collocation is frequently grouped with similar restraint-related verbs such as 'refrain from' and 'desist from', all taking the identical preposition to introduce the avoided action or substance. Confusing 'abstain from' with 'abstain of' or 'abstain with' is a common error targeted in competitive English vocabulary questions.

The correct answer is 'in' because 'indulge' pairs with the fixed preposition 'in', typically followed by a gerund, to introduce an activity someone allows themselves to enjoy, often excessively, as in 'indulge in luxury' or 'indulge in gossip'. This collocation is the direct opposite in meaning to 'abstain from', which describes deliberately avoiding an activity, making the two verbs a commonly paired contrast in vocabulary exam questions. The related adjective 'indulgent' also often pairs with 'toward' or 'with' when describing a person's permissive attitude.

The correct answer is 'of' because 'boast' pairs with the preposition 'of' (or the equally common 'about') to introduce what someone speaks proudly, often excessively, about, as in 'boast of his wealth' or 'boast of his achievements'. This collocation is frequently grouped with similar pride-related vocabulary such as 'proud of' and 'brag about', all describing excessive self-praise. Exam answer keys in Pakistan often favor 'of' as the standard preposition for 'boast', though 'about' remains an accepted informal alternative in everyday speech.

The correct answer is 'to' because 'grateful' pairs with the preposition 'to' when introducing the person being thanked, as in 'grateful to my teacher', while a separate preposition, 'for', introduces the reason or thing being thanked for, as in 'grateful for his help'. Both prepositions frequently appear together in a single sentence, as in 'grateful to him for his support', making this a commonly tested dual-preposition collocation. Confusing which preposition introduces the person versus the reason is the primary trap in this type of question.

The correct answer is 'of' because 'devoid' pairs with the fixed preposition 'of' to introduce what is completely lacking or absent, as in 'devoid of emotion' or 'devoid of any logic'. This adjective-preposition collocation is frequently grouped with similar 'lack' vocabulary such as 'deprived of' and 'empty of', all using the identical preposition to introduce what is missing. 'Devoid' is a stronger, more formal synonym for 'lacking' or 'without', commonly tested in vocabulary and preposition sections of competitive English exams.

The correct answer is 'to' because 'immune' pairs with the preposition 'to' when describing resistance to a disease, infection, or influence, as in 'immune to the virus' or 'immune to criticism'. In legal contexts, 'immune from' is also used, as in 'immune from prosecution', showing that the correct preposition can shift slightly depending on whether the context is medical, figurative, or legal. Exam answer keys generally favor 'immune to' as the standard collocation for general and medical usage, making it the safest default choice.

The correct answer is 'Let the work be done' because imperative sentences, which give direct commands, require the special passive construction 'Let' + object + 'be' + past participle, rather than the ordinary passive formula applied to statements. This same unique pattern was seen in 'Open the door' becoming 'Let the door be opened', confirming that all command sentences follow this consistent structure when converted to passive voice. The distractor options either scramble the correct word order or produce an ordinary statement that loses the imperative, commanding tone of the original sentence.